Florida University Tuition: Time, Money, Knowledge

It seems odd at first that the University of Florida has taken a stance against a proposal to guarantee state university students that their tuition wouldn't change over four years in school.

It seems odd at first that the University of Florida has taken a stance against a proposal to guarantee state university students that their tuition wouldn't change over four years in school.After all, UF President Bernie Machen initially floated the idea.To be fair, Gov. Rick Scott's "Finish in Four" concept is different than the idea that Machen proposed last year. Machen suggested that he would implement such a system if also given the authority to make higher than 15 percent tuition increases.Now, Scott's opposition to tuition hikes means that even a 15 percent increase is unlikely. To the governor's credit, he's moved away from backing the budget cuts to universities that he signed into law last year. Scott now supports increased state funding for higher education, including an additional $15 million annually to help UF become a top 10 university.But, at the same time, the "Finish in Four" plan would cost UF as much as $36 million annually over four years. The only way to make the plan work financially for UF would be making even-more-substantial tuition hikes than before for each new crop of freshmen.That would cause sticker shock for parents with more than one child entering the state university system over several years, just the kind of thing that Scott wants to avoid.

TIMELY GRADUATIONThe governor's proposal, now part of a bill making its way through the state Senate, would apply to in-state undergraduates who stay continuously enrolled over four years. The goal is encouraging students to graduate in a timely manner.It's a laudable goal, and one shared by Machen and other UF officials. UF has improved graduation rates in recent years and now has a four-year graduation rate of 67 percent and six-year rate of 85 percent, both the best in the state.While there's still room for improvement, other state universities have a much bigger hill to climb. Florida A&M and Florida Atlantic universities both have four-year graduation rates under 20 percent, while most other state universities aren't much better.Scott is playing the populist card by railing against tuition hikes. There is validity in that approach: Times are tough, and the ability to afford a good education promises to improve the future.However, Florida's state universities still have some of the lowest tuition in the country. The governor and lawmakers would be better served by finding the best value for students — improving both cost and knowledge imparted — rather than latching onto an absolutist gimmick.